Locking mechanism for molds for tires, tubes, and the like



. Nov. 9 1926. 1,606,352 W. L FAlRCHlLD I LOCKING MECHANISM FOR MOLDS FOR TIRES, TUBES, AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 24 1925 2 Sheets-Shee.t \1

iNVENTOR QZQZM/OKW BY P ' H15 ATTORNEY- Nov. 9,1926. 15mm W.L. FAIRCHlLD LOCKING MECHANISM FOR MOLDS FOR TIRES, TUBES, AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 24/1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45' 1 Z 20 25 M 'll llillll INVENTOR HQS ATTORNEY Patented Nov, 9, 1926,

WALTER, I4. FAIRCHILD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' LOCKING MECHANISM FQR MOLDS FOR TIRES, TUBES, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed February 24, 1925. Serial Nor 11,009.

ing operation can be more efliciently and expeditiously accomplished than has obtained in similar devices as hitherto constructed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for locking together the sectional parts of a tire or tube mold wherein all parts of the mold are simultaneously locked together or removed fromvsuch locked condition by a single operation.

Other objects and aimsof the invention,

V more or less specific than those referred to periphery of the mold; and

above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles, constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated a 'preterred'form of embodiment of my invention:

Figure l'is a top plan view of a mold particularly adapted for vulcanizing pneumatic tubes, showing my improved locking mechanism associated therewith:

Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2'-9 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the locking ring adapted to be employed for locking the outer periphery of the circular mold; 4 F igurefl is a sectionalyiew taken on the line laof Figure 3;

Figureo is atop plan view of the locking device employed in connection with the inner Figure 6 is a vertical sectional viewtaken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

In the accompanying drawings, similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several iews.

Before proceeding to describe the construction of my improved mold locking device, it may be here noted that said locking device is adapted to be employed between the circular housed sections of a tube mold constructed in accordance with the disclosure of my pending application Serial No. 521,391, filed December 9th, 7921, wherein the two sections are hingedly connected togethcr so that they may be swung apart to permit the unvulcanized tube to be inserted therein or a vulcanized tubeto be removed therefrom. In a tire mold of this character it is of prime importance that the meeting faces of both sections of the mold ,be'held in tight contact during the molding operation.- It is also of prime importance that both the lockingand unlocking operations be accomplished in the shortest ossible time, owing to the fact that the mold sections are in a heated condition. Otherwise,'the rub-.

ber compound which isin a plastic condition, rapidly loses its'form due to the heat of the mold. Various means have hitherto been employed to lock together the meeting faces of sectional'molds of this character, such for instance as clam screws, clamps and the like, all of which involved the expenditure of considerable time and effort in the performance of the locking and unlocking operations. In my improved mold lockinc device, which I shall now proceed specifically to describe, I have cured the objections inherent in devices of this character as hitherto constructediand have'provided a locking device which is not onlyfcfficient'in operation but which ma be operatedwith a minimum of expenditure of time and labor.

Referring now to theidrawings the reference numeral l'denots the'lower section of the mold and 2 the upper section thereof, both of said sections being hollow and circnlar in form." In the present instance .the

lower section is larger in cross-sectional, area ,than the upper one, that is, the mold is so divided horizontally that the major part of the tube to be vulcanized is located in the lower. section of the mold.

are steam jacketed, passageways 3 being prowided ,in each of the mold sections through which? the steam employed to heat thomold may be passed The lower section 1 is pro a lower section upwardly,

said bosses being pivotally connected togethcr as by means of a pivot pin 7. In this connection it may be able that a slight looseness or play be pro'- vided in the hinge or pivotal connection of the mold sections, as indicated by the dotted line, so as not to interfere with the bringing of all parts of the meeting surfaces of the mold into closed relation by the locking.

mechanism. The upper section 2 of the mold is provided with a plurality of pairs of laterally extending lugs 8 and 9 and likewise with a plurality of pairs of inwardly extending lugs 10 and 11, said pairs of lugs being preferably spaced in equi-distant relation about the outer as well as the inner. periphery of said section. The lower section 1 of the mold is provided with a plural ity of outwardly extending lugs 12 and also with a plurality ofinwardly extending lugs 13. said lugs 12 and 13 being also equidistantly located in spaced relation on the outer and inner peripheries of the lower section of the mold, the lugs upon both sections be ing so correlated that when the mold sections are in assembled. relation the single lugs 12 and 13 of the lower section will extend between the lugs 8-4), 10-11 of the upper section.

- Each of the lugs 8 and 9 of the upper section is provided with a downwardly extending part 14,- and each of said parts 14 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 15, So that'channcls 16 are formed in the lugs mounted upon the upper section of the mold, said channels facing inwardly. The lugs 12 of the lower section are provided withlateral channels 17, in which is mounted a ring said ring resting upon the lower straight face. 19 of the channel 17. It will be noted that in order to mount this ring within said channel, the ring is divided into two parts 20 and 21, having overlapping portions fastened togethei as-by means of the clamp screws 22. The ring 18 is provided with a plurality of wedge members 23, each'of said wedge members having inclined wedge surfaces as shown in Fig. 4.

Fastcned to the upper "face of the wall of the lateral channel 17 of thelugs 12 are wedge blocks 25, the construction being such that when the ring 18 is rotated, the wedgefaces of the wedge members 23 are carried into contact with the faces of the wedge blocks 25 of the lower section; this wedging action forcing the lugs 8 and 9 otthe upper section downwardly, and the lugs 12 of the mg faces 26 and 27 of the mold sections are forcedinto closecontact and held in positionfi In this connection it maybe noted noted that it is desir-- and the inwardly sections,

carry the wedge or cam members 23 nor locking ring whereby the. meetthat the meeting faces 26 and 27 of the inold section are so accurately groundyzthat all parts thereof lie in close contact, thereby providing against any part of the rubber comprising a tube being subjected vulcanizing proces being forced by pressure between said meeting faces wherehy an objectionable web or fin would be pro vided upon the tube. The inner lugs 16 and 11 of the upper section arelilrewise provided with downwardly extending parts 28,

extending flanges 29, proto the viding the outwardly facing channels 30 V and the inner surfaces of the lugs 13 of the lower section of the mold are likewise provided with the channels '31, adapted to receive the inner 10c ring rings 32, said ring resting upon the lower surfaces 33 of said channel. This ring is also provided with the wedge members 34, which cooperate with wedge blocks 35, mounted upon the upper surfaces of the channel 31, formed in the lugs 13 of the lower section of the mold. In other words, the lug and locking wedge construction provided for the outer periphery of the mold sections is duplicated on the inner periphery of said moldsections. The wedging surfaces, however, of the wedges provided upon thelugs'and also upon the locking ring of the inner periphery of the mold sections are located in reverse relation to the corresponding surfaces of the wedge portions of the lugs and. locking ring provided upon the outer periphery of the mold so that when said rings are rotated in a manner hereinafter to be described, the respective wedge or inclined surfaces of the wedge members willbe carried into and out of engagement.

It will be noted that the wedge members i 23 of the outer locking ring project outwardly from theonter periphery 36 of the locking ring 18, as at 37. This permits the downwardly extending portions 141 and the flanges 15 of the lugs 12 to pass freely downwardly, past the lug 12 of the lower section, it being assumed thatthe locking ring-18 has been turned to such an extent as to out of the path of the said parts i4 and oi the lugs 8 and 9 of the upper section. Similar ly, the cam or wedge members of the inner locking ring 32 extend inwardly as at" 38 from the inner periphery 39 of said in- This permits the downlike wardly extendingparts 28 and the flange 29 of the lugs 10 and 1-1 to pass to either side of tie lugs 13, when the mold sections are brought into registering relation. It will be .seen that the downwardlyavithin the inner periphery of the ring. When the locking rings 18 and 32, however, are moved relatively to each other, the-cam or wedge surfaces respectively of said rings and lugs will be brought parts 28 {1111Cl 29 will pass into wedging or camming relation, whereby the meeting faces of the mold sections will be tightly locked intoengagement.

The outer locking ring 18 is provided with an operating handle 40 and the inner locking ring 32 is provided with an operating handle 41 said handles being located in a position whereby they may be rasped by the hands of anwoperator standing in front of the mold. \Vhen the handles 40 and 41 are moved toward each other, the

cooperative action of the wed e members will lock the mold sections together, and when said handles are moved in an opposite.

direction, the mold sections will be unlocked, as has been clearly described in the foregoing specification.

By referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that the handle 41 extends downwardly from the inner-locking ring 32, and then outwardly under the mold, so that its outer end may be readily grasped by theoperator. The lower section of the mold is mounted upon trunnions the heating medium being steam which is continuously passed through both sections of the mold through the passageways Assuming the locking rings 18 and 32 to be in unlocking positions, the upper section 2 of the mold is swung, upwardly upon its point of pivotal support, whereupon the tube of unvulcanized rubber indicated at 48 may be deposited in the lower section of the mold. As has alreadyvbeen described, the bore of the lower section of the mold is considerably larger in cross-sectional area than the upper section thereof. This is an important element of the invention. by reason of the fact that the unvulcanized rubber tubes are in a very sticky or tacky. condition. and the molds being heated. it is essential that the major portion of the tube rest in the mold before the upper section is closed down thereon. otherwise the heat of the mold is liable to soften the unvulcanized rubber to such an extent that portions of the tube will fall upon the upper face 26 of said lower section, whereupon when the upper section is swung downwardly thereon, those portions of the tube will be pinched between the meeting faces of the mold sections, and the tube will be found to have been destroyed. Therefore. by increasing the size of the bore of the lower section of the mold with relation to the bore of the sections are tightly locked together.

upper section of the mold, an important object of this invention is attained,

Assuming now the unvulcanized tube to have been deposited in the lower section of the mold. the upper section is then swung downwardly until the meeting faces 26 and 27 of the mold sectionsare brought into contact. As has already been explained, the loose motion 'rovided in the pivotal mounting of the mo (1 sections permits their meeting faces to be brought into intimate contact with their whole force, without placing any strain whatever upon the pivotal mounting parts of the mold sections. When this operation has been accomplished, the operator grasps the handles 40 and 4 1,

- and swings them toward each other, whereupon the cam or wedging faces of the rings and lugs already explained, are brought into camming or wedging relation and the mold It will be understood, of course, that steam. is at all times being passed through the passageways 3 of the mold sections, whereby the mold sections are always maintained at a constant vulcanizing temperature.

It will accordingly be seen that I have provided a construction well adapted to attain, among others, all the ends and objects above set forth, in an exceedingly efficient manner. As already explained, the locking and unlocking together of mold sections, such as disclosed herein, has been a rather tedious operation, requiring the use of cam screws or swinging clamping members. By means of the present construction, both the locking and unlocking operations are accomplished almost instantaneously. This is most important, inasmuch as already explained. the unvulcanizedrubber tube placed in the heated section, commences to wilt, due to the influences of the heat, almost as soon as it is nserted therein.

It will be understood that variouschanges may be resorted to in the form. construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; and hence, I do not intend to l)(t'll1llll0tl to the details herein Shown and f described except as they may be included in the claims. I

Having thus described my invention what. I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- Y ters Patent is:

7 other combination, a pair pivotally connected mold sections, each mold section being provided a set of outwardly and inwardly extending lugs, oneset. of said lugs sing provided with wedge orcam members, pair of locking rings, each or which is rovided with a plurality of cam or wedge nenibcrs mount-ed for rotation upon the set of said lugs, said lugs and said ring being so relatively located when the mold section is closed. that a rotative movement oi? said rings will carry the wedge or cam members thereof into co-operative relation with the cam members of said lugs, whereby said mold sections will be locked together.

3 In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of pivotally connected mold sections, each mold section being provided with a set of outwardly and inwardly extending lugs, one set of said lugs being provided with wedge or cam members, a pair of locking rings, each or" which is provided witha plurality of can). or wedge members mounted for rotation upon the other set of said lugs, said lugs and said ring being so relatively located when the mold section is closed, that rotative movement of said rings wild carry the wedge or cam members thereof into ce-operative relation with the on members of said lugs, whereby sait vmold sections will be locked together, and an operating; arm extending outwardly from each of said locking rings.

In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a plurality of mold sections pivotaily connected so that they may swing relatively to each other, a plurality of pairs aeoasss when said ring is rotated, to engage with the cam or wedge members of the lugs upon the located between said lugs, the wedge por- I tions of which are adapted to engage said wedge surfaces to lock the mold sections together. v y

6. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a lower horizontally disposed mold section having laterally extending flanges, an upper horizontally disposed mold section having laterally downwardly and inwardly extending portions, said last named portions being provided with upwardly faced wedge-cngagiu surfaces,'tlic flanges upon said first named mold section having downwardly faced wedge-engaging surfaces, and a locking ring interposed between said mold sections and provided with a plurality of wedge members adapted to engage with said wedge surfaces, whereby to lock the sections together.

7. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of mold sections, each of which is provided with a plurality of inwardly and outwardly extending lugs,ccrtain of said lugs being provided with cam or wedge surfaces, inner and outer locking rings located between said lugs and having cam or Wedge surfaces adapted to cooperate with the cam or wedge surfaces onthe lugs to lock the mold sections together, the cam or wedge surfaces on the outer ring being slanted oppositely to the cam or Wedge surfaces on the inner ring, whereby opposite rotative movementof said rings will draw the mold sections together.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

WALTER L. FAIRCHILD. 

